Two strategies to support EAL pupils in Maths

Two strategies to support EAL pupils in Maths • Picture from memory/ Collaborative memory • ‘Boxing up’

Picture from memory/ Collaborative memory

Oral language is repetitive and gives the EAL learner the opportunity to hear the same idea being expressed a number of times and in different ways. Excellence and Enjoyment: learning and teaching for bilingual children in the primary years, Df. ES 2006 For children learning English as an Additional language, speaking skills are required for a range of purposes. . . They are essential for developing cognitive ability as well as the language of specific curriculum areas and it is important that spoken language is given status if it is to support such development. Rationale for planning for children learning EAL, Df. ES 2008 Minority Ethnic Achievement Children’s Services 3

Supporting writing in Maths: ‘Boxing up’

Supporting writing in Maths: the ‘boxing up’ approach ‘As I began to work with this approach, I started to feel as if this was the magic wand I had been looking for to move my students and I onwards to the land of written mathematical communication. I started talking to my students about maths being a story, an essay. ’

What is the question asking me? What information do I already have?

What Maths will I be using?

What calculations / working out do I need to do?

What is the answer? How can I check that my answer is correct? Have I answered the question?

The following four slides were used in the launch of the strategy with students …

‘Boxing Up’ is important in Maths because of the new style GCSE with marks for the quality of written communication. Before : Now : 289 + 567 = You have an electricity bill where the readings are 289 and 567 units. 1 unit of electricity costs 16 pence. How much will you be charged for this bill? [4 Marks] [1 Mark]

Boxing Up (A Mathematical Essay) Maths Story What is the question asking me? What information do I have? English Story Introduction What Maths will I be using? Working out / Calculations Answers, checking and presentation. Main Story Conclusion

A recipe for 12 people uses 500 g of plain flour. How much flour is needed for 18 people? Green Box - What is the question asking me? What information do I have? How much flour is needed for 18 people? 12 people use 500 g of plain flour. Blue Box - What maths will I be using? Ratio / Proportion Halving Adding Red / Pink Box Working out / calculations? 12 people = 500 g 6 people = 250 g 3 people = 125 g 12 + 6 = 18 people 500 + 250 = 750 g Yellow / Orange Box Answers / Checking / Presentation 6 people = 250 g 6 x 3 = 18 250 x 3 = 750

Boxing Up is a. . . . • Strategy for working out (for writing) • Strategy for discussing (asking each other questions) • Strategy for thinking (asking yourself questions)

Further information and resources relating to ‘boxing up’… Brighton and Hove Council learning platform: http: //www. schoolportal. co. uk/Group. Workspaces. asp? Group. Id=11 59106&Workspace. Id=2467143

Other useful resources • ‘Access and Engagement in Maths’ http: //wsh. wokingham. gov. uk/learning-andteaching/mea/eal-resources/nationalstrategy/access-ks 3/ • ‘Literacy in Maths’ and Wokingham EAL in Maths training materials: http: //wsh. wokingham. gov. uk/learning-andteaching/secondary-curriculum/latc/